


Someone That You Like

by JoMo3



Series: Strange Conversations [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-06
Packaged: 2018-09-15 05:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9222056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoMo3/pseuds/JoMo3
Summary: Mike struggles on asking Eleven out on a date.





	

_It's this cheesy school dance where you go to the gym and dance to music and stuff. I've never been but I know you're not supposed to go with your sister._   
_No?_ _  
_ _I mean, you_ can _but it'd be really weird. You go to school dances with someone that... someone that, you know... someone that you... like._

It was a Saturday morning and Mike Wheeler lay on his bed, hands clasped behind his head as he looked at the ceiling, lost in thought.

 

Yep, he told himself. This was it.

 

This was the day he would ask out Eleven.

 

.   .   .

She had been back for a few months now, living with Hopper. It hadn't been the easiest of transitions for either of them, but anything had to be better than living in that lab.

 

Hopper was very protective of her, and it had taken a while for Joyce and the Wheelers to talk him into loosening the leash on El, by letting her visit the boys and go on adventures with them.

 

Almost everyday the five of them would hang out together, either in Mike’s basement or riding around Hawkins on their bikes. Hopper had bought El a bike so she could keep up with them, but she still struggled to learn how to ride it. Hopper had tried but grew frustrated after a while. Mike and Will gave it a try and had made some progress, but she still wasn't ready. Dustin had joked that they get her training wheels, which had made El blush from embarrassment once she found out what those were. So for the time being, she still rode on the back of Mike's.

 

At first, when she returned, Mike had decided to keep things strictly platonic. He figured she'd been through enough, and didn't need to deal with a loser like him trying to push feelings on her. But there had been a few things that'd happened that had made him change his mind.

 

The first thing was sometime after Christmas, when it had snowed for the first time that winter, and Lucas explained what the white flakes falling from the sky were called. Later, when it was just her and Mike, sitting on his couch in the basement, she'd asked

 

“Mike?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Did I miss the Snow Ball?”

 

He'd blushed a little, surprised she'd remembered it. “Yeah, El, kind of.”

 

Her face had fallen.

 

“But it's okay, though,” he'd told her. “There's one next year, if you still want to go. There's even the Spring Fling in April.”

 

She had nodded her head, and Mike had thought that would be the end of it.

 

Then in February the group had watched one of the Friday the 13th movies, and El had grabbed Mike’s hand out of fear. She hadn't let go the rest of the movie, and the other boys had made kissy noises at them.

 

Mike had told them to shut up, but El needed clarification about why they were doing it.

 

“They're doing it because...they think we like each other.”

 

She'd looked confused. “We do like each other.”

 

“I know,” he said, “but they mean, like…..romantically. Kissing and stuff.”

 

Her eyes widened in understanding. She knew what kissing was now, thanks to watching Snow White with Holly.

 

“Mike?” she'd asked.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Do you like me...romancically?”

 

“Uh….um….” he'd stuttered, then been saved when his mom had called down, telling them Hopper was there to pick up El.

 

Finally, a few days ago when Will had gotten sick, it was just Mike who was trying to show her how to ride a bike. She'd ridden outside from one side of Hopper’s trailer to the other, and had been so proud of herself. She'd ran over and given Mike a hug, and before he knew it, she'd kissed him on his cheek.

 

“Thanks, Mike,” she'd said, then ran inside to tell Hopper about her bicycle accomplishment.

 

Mike stayed outside, cheeks red as a tomato, and started rethinking his whole “platonic” friendship with El. The fact that he'd wanted to kiss her back squashed his whole “just be friends” thing with her. Now here it was, three days later on a warm-ish March day, that he decided he would ask her out on a date.

 

.   .   .

 

Sitting up from his bed, he started thinking about how to do it. He'd never asked a girl on a date before, could it be as simple going up and asking? He thought about asking his dad, but knew that he was at work. He couldn't ask his mom, that'd be too weird. He didn't want to ask Lucas, Dustin, or Will, because he knew they wouldn't stop making fun of him. Nancy?

 

He let out a soft moan, thinking that she might be the lesser of six evils.

 

Approaching her room, he paused by the cracked open door. Ever since Mrs. Wheeler had found out about all the coming and goings in Nancy’s room, she'd been forced to almost always keep the door slightly ajar.

 

Mike tapped lightly. “Nancy?”

 

“Come in, Mike.”

 

She sat at her desk, glancing at flash cards. “Hey,” she said as he walked in. “What do you need?”

 

He sat on the end of her bed, nervously rubbing his hands together. “Um….”

 

“Spit it out, Mike. I've got things to do.”

 

“Never mind, it's stupid,” he said, starting to get up.

 

“Mike,” she said, her voice calm, “I'm sorry. Sit. What do you need?”

 

He sighed, and sat back down as she turned to face him. “Well...it's El.”

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“No, it’s not...it's not like that. I want to…” he kept his eyes on the floor. “I want to ask her out.”

 

Nancy broke into a grin; she knew Mike had feelings for Eleven but wasn't expecting this.

 

“Good for you, Mike,” she said. “What's stopping you?”

 

“Well….I don't know...how.”

 

She laughed, and he turned beet-red. She put her hands up to stop him from walking out. “I'm sorry, I’m sorry. I've never been on this side of it before, but Mike, you're making this way harder than it has to be.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“All you need to do is ask if she wants to.”

 

“It's that easy?”

 

“It's that easy.”

 

Mike thought about that for a second, then asked “But where would we even go?”

 

Nancy shrugged her shoulders. “Wherever you want. Just make it the two of you, and that it’s special.”

 

“Oh. Ok. Thanks.” He got up from the bed and walked to her door. Once there, he hesitated and turned to his sister. “What if she says no?”

 

Nancy put an arm on his shoulder for reassurance. “Trust me, she won't. But if for some reason she says no, you'll get over it, Mike. But believe me, she's not going to say no.”

 

Mike nodded his head.

 

“ _Hopper_ might say no, but she won't,” Nancy added with a smile on her face.

 

“Crap, I forgot about that,” Mike said, walking out.

 

.   .   .

 

A half hour later, Mike was determinedly pedaling his bike over to Hopper's, his heart beating so fast he thought it would burst out of his chest.

 

He was supposed to work with El on her bike riding again. Will was feeling better now, but Mike had used his Supercom and told Will that he could handle the bike lesson on his own today. The plan was to work together for a little bit, 30 minutes tops, then the group would meet over at Will’s to play on his Atari.

 

As he pulled up to Hopper’s trailer, he skidded to a stop when he saw the chief outside, smoking a cigarette.

 

“Hi, um….Hop…..I mean chief! Um….I mean mister Hopper.”

 

Jim shook his head, not knowing why the kid was acting so funny. “Hi, kid.” Then, over his shoulder, he called out “El! Wheeler is here!” He tossed his cigarette on the ground, stomping it out.

 

Eleven came out of the trailer, smiling. Hopper passed her as he headed inside, ruffling her hair.

 

“Hi Mike,” she said, smiling at him.

 

Mike felt his heart beat even faster. “Uh, hi, El. Are you ready?”

 

She nodded her head.

 

They set her and her bike up on one end of the trailer. Mike gave her a little push, and she was off. She went about two feet before she started tipping, and planting her feet down.

 

“Again,” Mike said.

 

They started over, and this time when she started to wobble, she used her powers to keep herself upright. Mike smiled.

 

“No fair! That's cheating!”

 

Eleven smiled back at him. “What?”

 

Mike moved so he was in front of her, arms on her handlebars. “You can't use your powers to ride a bike.”

 

She wiped a small bit of blood from under her nose. “Why not?”

 

“Because….because you just can't, El. You can't use your powers for everything because it makes things easier.”

 

Eleven sighed. “Okay.”

 

He moved out of the way, and she turned her bike around to try again. “Uh, El?”

 

She paused, looking at him. “Yes?”

 

_Now or never_ , he said to himself. “Could I ask you something?”

 

El nodded her head. She usually asked so many questions, it was nice to be the one answering for a change.

 

“Would you, uh, maybe want to go on a….”

 

“El!” Hopper called, coming out of the trailer. El turned, and Mike jumped, startled.

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’ve gotta go into work; come on, I’ll drop you two off at Joyce’s house.”

 

“But I, uh, rode my bike here,” Mike said. “I could ride us over there.”

 

Hopper shook his head. “It’s on my way. Just put your bike in my truck, kid, let’s go.”

 

Mike sighed, upset that he’d missed his moment. He and El climbed into the backseat. El turned to him, face lit up. “What were you going to ask me, Mike?”

 

“Nothing,” he said, leaning against the window. El sensed he was upset, but didn’t say anything as Hopper climbed in and they drove away.

  


.   .   .

 

When they pulled in front of Will’s home, Lucas, Dustin, and Will were already waiting for them.

Mike went to pull his bike from the back of Hopper’s truck, while El went over to talk to the boys. Hopper waved goodbye, and drove off to work.

“Did you ride your bike yet?” Dustin asked El.

“Kind of,” El said, giggling.

“She cheated,” Mike said, coming over.

“How do you cheat at riding a bike?” Lucas asked.

“She used her powers,” Mike told him.

El smiled as the boys shook their heads.

“What’s wrong with you?” Dustin asked Mike.

“Nothing. Let’s just go play some games,” he muttered.

 

The boys (and El) spent the afternoon taking turns playing Will’s Atari games-Asteroid, Space Invaders, and Pac-Man. El really liked Pac-Man. When it wasn’t her turn to play, she stole glances at Mike who, when he wasn’t playing, sat with his arms crossed, looking upset. Eventually she went and sat next to him and touched his arm.

 

“Mike?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Okay?”

 

“I’m fine, El.”

 

She gave him a look.  “Mike. Friends don’t lie.”

 

Mike sighed, wishing he’d never told her that. “Later, El.”

 

.   .   .

 

Joyce eventually came home, and the boys stayed for dinner. Afterwards, Dustin and Lucas headed home and it was only Mike, El, and Will left. Mike had said he would stay until Hopper came to pick up El, which would be any minute.

 

The boys were talking about their upcoming test in Mr. Clarke’s class. El wasn’t in school yet, but listened intently to their discussion until they heard Hopper honk his horn from outside.

El gave Will a hug goodbye, and was about to give one to Mike, but he said “Um, I’ll walk with you outside, El.”

 

Saying goodbye to Will, Mike and El walked side by side outside. Hopper sat in his truck, a few feet away.

 

El stopped halfway between the truck and the Byers’ home, and asked “Mike? Why are you mad at me?”

 

“What? El, I’m not mad at you. Why did you think that?”

 

“You barely talked to me today.”

 

“No, El,” he said, taking her hand. “I’m not mad at you, I just…I wanted to ask you something.”

 

“Oh, yeah!,” she said, remembering their conversation earlier. “What was it?”

 

Mike glanced over at Hopper, waiting, and said “Never mind. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He tried to walk away, but she was still holding his hand, with a determined look on her face.

 

“ _Mike_.”

 

He sighed. “I just….I….El, would you want to go on a date with me?”

 

She scrunched her eyebrows. “What is a date?”

 

“It’s when people go out and do something fun. Together.”

 

She nodded her head. “With Will and Lucas and Dustin?”

 

“No, just….just you and me.”

 

Her eyes widened. “Is it...ro...romankick?”

 

He smiled at her mispronunciation. “Yes, it can sometimes be romantic.”

 

She smiled, and nodded her head. Then, shyly, asked “With kissing?”

 

He blushed. “Uh, may-maybe.”

 

She smiled, and kissed his cheek. “Yes, Mike.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really.”

 

Hopper leaned his head out the window. “Hey! What’re you two doing out there?”

 

Mike blushed even redder as El let go of his hand.

 

“Bye, Mike,” she said.

 

“Bye, El,” he said.

 

El skipped to Hopper’s truck, while Mike stood there, a lovesick grin on his face. Even Hopper’s glare couldn’t take it away.

**Author's Note:**

> The actual date coming soon. Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
